One of the perks at my new gig is the option to take some art classes. Now, I'm not exactly Mrs. Creativity, but I do enjoy some easy art every once in a while.
A seat was open in a class called Raku Pottery. I had never heard of "raku" until I started my job, but basically, it's where you glaze a pot with raku paints, put it in a super hot kiln powered by like propane or something until it is 1800 degrees, and then drop it in a closed garbage can with newspapers to let the colors "do their thing." Basically the glaze reacts with whatever is in the container and there is no oxygen so something happens. After that, it gets rinsed off and then cleaned and it's ready to GO. I'm sure there's a more technical explanation somewhere... but that is how I interpreted my first raku experience to be.
For the purpose of this class, the pieces were already made and we just chose our favorite to glaze.
A seat was open in a class called Raku Pottery. I had never heard of "raku" until I started my job, but basically, it's where you glaze a pot with raku paints, put it in a super hot kiln powered by like propane or something until it is 1800 degrees, and then drop it in a closed garbage can with newspapers to let the colors "do their thing." Basically the glaze reacts with whatever is in the container and there is no oxygen so something happens. After that, it gets rinsed off and then cleaned and it's ready to GO. I'm sure there's a more technical explanation somewhere... but that is how I interpreted my first raku experience to be.
For the purpose of this class, the pieces were already made and we just chose our favorite to glaze.
I picked this beauty.
I then added a zig zag tape to the pot all the way around. In raku, whatever you DON'T glaze turns black and I was trying to be artsy. It kind of worked as you'll see.
I then glazed my pot. The bottom was a green color and the above the zig zag was this metallic color. You'll see this does not matter in the long run!
The set up for the raku process.
Removing my TAPE! My pot is ready to go.
FIRE.
SEE HOW HOT it is.
Dumping it in a trash can and closing it up.
Removing, cooling them off.
Sitting pretty after being rinsed.
Mine is on the right, someone elses is next to me. See how the colors change due to the heat and all? It's very unpredictable. You never know for certain what you will get!
My finished project! This is the "good" side. The tape was not THAT even on the other side and it drives me crazy.
Though this is for sure not what I was expecting when I was painting my pot -- but I think it turned out pretty cool. :-)
It's first piece "knick knack" in our new house... LOL. Now -- what other "artsy" things should I try?! I'm kind of interested in glass! That seems fool proof? ;-)
I then added a zig zag tape to the pot all the way around. In raku, whatever you DON'T glaze turns black and I was trying to be artsy. It kind of worked as you'll see.
I then glazed my pot. The bottom was a green color and the above the zig zag was this metallic color. You'll see this does not matter in the long run!
The set up for the raku process.
Removing my TAPE! My pot is ready to go.
FIRE.
SEE HOW HOT it is.
Dumping it in a trash can and closing it up.
Removing, cooling them off.
Sitting pretty after being rinsed.
Mine is on the right, someone elses is next to me. See how the colors change due to the heat and all? It's very unpredictable. You never know for certain what you will get!
My finished project! This is the "good" side. The tape was not THAT even on the other side and it drives me crazy.
Though this is for sure not what I was expecting when I was painting my pot -- but I think it turned out pretty cool. :-)
It's first piece "knick knack" in our new house... LOL. Now -- what other "artsy" things should I try?! I'm kind of interested in glass! That seems fool proof? ;-)
19 comments:
im so jealous... i want to make my own pot... only thing i'v done is paint one lol...
Its so pretty!!! I love it!!
It looks really nice - and what a neat fricken art concept - who comes up with these things?!
And of course you don't like the uneven side, you were a bridezilla, you need perfection :)
I'm the same way, so don't even worry about it!
Wow that looks great! Such a cool concept. I love painting pottery in general, wonder if we have anything like that around here.
How fun! Now whenever anyone asks where you got that vase, you can totally impress them by telling them you made it yourself haha
That sounds like fun! I love pottery!
Oh my gosh, that is awesome!! You're turned out great.
That is so cool looking good job!!!
That is really cool! I've always wanted to paint a piece of pottery (it's actually on my bucket list, lol) and this is such a cool technique! Nice job!
How fun! I feel kind of pathetic that I actually dropped out of ceramics in college, but I would love to go back and just do it for fun :)
Hope you are having a fabulous week my dear!
xoxox,
Joelle
www.whereweloveishome.com
Oh my gosh, I NEED to do this. That is so neat!
wow...it creates a beautiful effect on the pottery. that's awesome.
wow!! awesome! i love this!!
Very cool! I think it turned out great especially for being your first one. I took a pottery class in HS, it was tons of fun.
Oooh glass would be fun. I'd like to learn how to blow glass :)
Very cool!!
Your pot turned out great! I love the colors and it turned out wonderfully considering it was your first shot at it. I'd love to a class like that sometime.
That actually looks really good!!! I wish I could do that!
That's awesome....looks great!
It's fantastic! Nice work, girl!
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